Crash victim mourned in Fort Liard
Alana Madill was 'a beautiful presence,' says uncle
April Hudson
Northern News Services
Thursday, June 11, 2015
ACHO DENE KOE/FORT LIARD
While the global rugby community mourns the death of New Zealand player Jerry Collins, relatives of his wife Alana Madill are grieving in Fort Liard.
Six months ago, Alana Madill, right, married rugby player Jerry Collins. The couple, shown here on their wedding day, both died in a car crash in France on June 5. - photo courtesy of Instagram
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Madill and Collins were both killed in a car accident in France on June 5 when the vehicle they were driving was struck by a bus. Their three-month-old daughter, Ayla, was with them at the time of the crash and remains in critical condition.
Bill Ahenakew, Madill's maternal uncle, lives in Fort Liard. He described Madill as a "beautiful presence" who is sorely missed.
Ahenakew said Madill's sister, Brenna Smith, is currently with Ayla while she recovers in hospital.
"Brenna was in Ottawa when this all happened, and she flew straight to Toronto and then on to France. When she got there, the rugby team had everything all set up for her - everything was paid for," he said. "She said when she went to (Ayla's) side, little Ayla grabbed her pinky finger and held on quite tight."
Although Ayla's head injuries mean her condition is still critical, Ahenakew is optimistic she will pull through. He said doctors have begun to take her temperature back up a little, and will soon be able to treat her injuries.
Ahenakew remembers Madill as an avid traveller who had seen the world. Following in the footsteps of her parents, she had worked across Canada and had lived in many different provinces and territories.
Madill's mother, Ruth, was the first female First Nation RCMP officer to go through full training, while her father Darrell spent decades with the RCMP and was posted all over the North, according to Ahenakew.
"Alana was a real going concern. She was always somewhere, on her own, in some country," Ahenakew recalled.
"She was very outgoing and personable. If you met her, you would remember."
She had been together with Collins for nearly two years and had just recently joined him in France after he moved there for rugby.
"They were very much in love," Ahenakew said, noting the two met in Grande Prairie, Alta., where Madill was holding down two jobs.
"When he was in Grande Prairie, he had a rugby opportunity where he was offered (a lot of money). And he turned it down because he wanted to be close to my niece."
That decision paid off for the two, who married last year and welcomed Ayla into the world near the beginning of 2015.
"It was quite difficult when we found out what had happened," Ahenakew said. "I didn't really believe it until my sister phoned and said the consulate had called."
Although Ahenakew remains in Fort Liard for now, much of Madill's family has flown to France to be with her daughter.
